For the Love of Glory
by amandalynwood
Summary: North Country fic. Kyle Dodge is mourning Glory's death, Leah is fresh from an abusive relationship. Can they both put the past behind them and find a fresh future together? Warning: LEMONs/domestic/sexual violence, death of secondary characters.
1. Chapter 1

**For the Love of Glory**

_When I think back on these times  
and the dreams we left behind.  
I'll be glad 'cause I was blessed  
To get to have you in my life  
When I look back on these days  
I'll look and see your face  
You were right there for me_

_In my dreams  
I'll always see you soar above the sky  
In my heart there will always be  
a place for you for all my life  
I'll keep a part of you with me  
And everywhere I am,  
there you'll be_

_Well you showed me how to feel,  
feel the the sky was in my reach  
And I always will remember  
all the strength you gave to me  
Your love made me make it through  
Oh, I owe so much to you  
You were right there for me_

_In my dreams  
I'll always see you soar above the sky  
In my heart there will always be  
a place for you For all my life  
I'll keep a part of you with me  
And everywhere I am,  
there you ll be_

_'Cause I always saw in you my light,  
my strength  
And I want to thank you now  
For all the ways  
You were right there for me_

_In my dreams  
I'll always see you soar above the sky  
In my heart there will always be  
a place for you for all my life  
I'll keep a part of you with me  
And everywhere I am,  
there you ll be _

_----THERE YOU'LL BE -- artist-FAITH HILL_

**_Prologue_**

_**The day that Glory left him….**_

The house was dark and the sun had set. The truth was sinking in at last as Kyle sat in the darkened basement room, a lit cigarette in one hand and a half-empty bottle of lukewarm beer in the other, making little effort to actually drink or smoke. It simply kept his hands occupied. He didn't feel like doing anything at all. It was so unfair. His breathing coming automatically, whether he thought about it or not; his heart continued to beat. Hers now silent and still. How was he supposed to get up in the morning and get on with his life? How was he supposed to go on without her?

Glory was the strongest woman he'd ever met, she took crap off of no one, and he'd never been prouder of her than when she'd stood with Josie against the mine. Despite the betrayal of her body as her muscles failed to function one at a time, each day losing ground, who she was inside never changed; and who she was inside was why he loved her so much. Staying strong for her had been one of the hardest and yet the easiest things he'd ever done.

It had been hard to stand by, day by day and watch her body fail her, helpless to do anything but watch the disease steal her away from him bit by bit, but it was so easy to be there for her, to care for her, take care of her needs, there was no place else he'd rather be. His place was at her side.

She had faced it all with grace and a sense of humor, although there wasn't a single thing amusing about what was happening to her. His wife was gone now, they'd come and taken her this afternoon. She hadn't wanted to die in the hospital. So she had been here at home instead. He'd not objected not wanting to share her remaining time with strangers.

It had been hard to let her go, his hot tears soaking into her hair as she drifted away peacefully, the muscles that controlled her breathing finally failing along with all the others. He held her close to him; his body wrapped around hers. Knowing that she was gone as he felt the warmth leave her body.

He'd somehow managed to make the call to Josie, to let her know Glory was gone, and she and Bill came right away. But the other calls, Josie had taken over, he'd been unable, unwilling to make the calls that would take her away from him. He was grateful, but they'd also understood his need to be alone for a while. After making him promise to call if he needed anything they left as well.

If he needed anything, he needed Glory, The one thing he'd never have again. The heat of her body in his arms as they snuggled in the night, the sound of her voice before the disease claimed it. Everything in the house screamed her presence and he'd never felt more alone. He retreated to the basement, his space, his haven, where for a while he could pretend that she'd be home later, she'd call out to him for something. That she wasn't really gone.

He'd held on and held back for months, so she wouldn't worry about him. But she was gone, he didn't have to worry anymore about losing his control. He stubbed out his cigarette and tipped up the beer bottle, and drained every drop. And deep down he knew that she'd understand. The biggest part of his heart had died with her. He let it all go, the bottle shattering against the basement door, the rage at disease, the fear of living without her and the frustration at not being able to do anything to stop it.

Trying to rationalize that her disease ravaged body was finally at rest did nothing to diminish the fierce torrent of grief that washed over him. His sobbing cries erupted from the depths of his soul as he sank to his knees on the basement floor, hugging his arms to himself as he cried out her name over and over again. The only one capable of comforting him was gone….forever_._

_~*~*~*_

**_CHAPTER ONE_**

**_Three months later…._**

**_A Sunday afternoon _**

**_Denver, Colorado._**

Leah Petersen slammed the trunk of her car shut. That should be everything. She didn't own much. She had no choice, it was now or never time. If she didn't go now she didn't know when another opportunity would present itself. She had to get away from him, and as far she could see this was her best chance.

He was in jail for brawling in the bar again, and she had no intention of being here when he got out tomorrow. Being locked up always put him in a mood. Usually violent, with her on the receiving end of his fist.

The time had come at last, she was leaving him. It wasn't like she was married to him. Legally, she was free to go any time she wanted, but Jake never thought she'd get up the guts to do it, that he had her under his thumb permanently, his own personal punching bag.

She'd put up with his mental and physical abuse for the better part of the last year, too afraid of him to get out of the abusive relationship. After losing the baby over a month ago, she had bided her time just waiting for the right moment to escape him.

Losing her baby—it wasn't exactly like she'd lost it. He'd taken it from her, like he'd taken everything else. Her pride and self-esteem were practically non-existent. And she had taken his humiliating abuse, but when he took the innocent life of their unborn child it was the final straw.

He'd flown into a rage when she told him she was pregnant. He demanded she have an abortion and when she'd refused he'd taken care of it himself. She was certain the doctors hadn't bought Jake's story that she fell down a flight of stairs but without her testimony they couldn't prove anything. She was far too afraid of him to tell the truth. There had been no stairs involved at all.

The long gash on her forehead had come from her impact with the corner of the dresser in the bedroom, and by that point even if she wasn't already unable defend herself she wouldn't have been able to stop him anyway. She knew from past experience that fighting back against Jake only intensified his fury and increased the damage he did to her.

The vaginal bleeding from her miscarriage was the direct result his repeated kicks to her belly. Social Services had sent a domestic violence counselor, but she backed Jake's story about the fall, afraid he'd kill her if she told the truth.

She would have gone as soon as she got out of the hospital, but Jake was a suspicious son of a bitch, and he kept too close a watch on her. It didn't matter anyway, over the course of their relationship he had steadily driven her few friends away.

The only acquaintances she had anymore were Jake's scummy drinking buddies and from what she'd seen of them, Jake was cream of that crop. So she had no one at all to turn to, as she began her plan to go back home.

Little by little, she prepared to make her escape. She squirreled away money, a dollar here and there, filled mason jars with loose change. Not enough for Jake to notice, and it wasn't a lot, but as long as the car didn't break down she could make back home to Minnesota.

She had enough for cheap meals, gas and one night's hotel stay (in something low budget of course) and maybe a little left over if she was really careful. It had taken her six weeks to get up the money. Almost a hundred and fifty dollars. Plus, the money he'd given her on Friday to buy the next weeks groceries. Instead, the moment she'd found out he was in jail again she'd filled the car's tank and if she had calculated right that would get her a third of the way there.

She threw together her few belongings and here she was ready to go. She headed south toward the interstate. She only hoped she still had a home to go to when she got there. She hadn't seen or heard from her family in almost two years. Whether she actually had a home waiting for her there or not, it didn't matter. She was not going back to face another day in the hell she was leaving.

Fifteen minutes later she was heading east on Interstate 80 heading toward Des Moines where she would change to Interstate 35 heading north toward home.

~*~*~


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N --incoming LEMON....**

_**Chapter Two**_

Josey Aimes drifted awake, her lover's hands caressing her bare breasts beneath the sheets, his body still curled around hers. His morning arousal was firm against the cheeks of her ass.

Josey was delighted with the budding romance between her and her former attorney, Bill White. He was so different than all the other men of her past. Her past flitted through her mind as Bill's gentle caresses reassured her that not all men were bastards. She had so little good for comparison. Her high school teacher had raped her and left her pregnant when she was only sixteen, her ex-husband had beat her repeatedly—the final time in front of their small daughter; her father was a good man but until recently had shown nothing but contempt for her.

And then there was the real piece of work. Bobby – he'd been her friend in high school before the rape, and when she'd started at the mine he'd molested her sexually on the job on more than one occasion. And thanks to his testimony revealing the rape, she'd had to explain to her sweet son Sammy that he was a product of rape.

No, Bill was the only good man she knew, well except for Kyle Dodge. She worried almost continuously about Kyle, he tried to put on a brave face on it, but she knew Glory's death had devastated him. Hell, Glory's death had devastated her.

She remembered back...

_—sitting in tears in her parents kitchen, finally allowing her own grief to come, not wanting to let Kyle see her tears, he had enough grief to deal with on his own, he didn't need to worry about consoling her._

_Kyle was the absolutely one of the best, kindest, gentlest of men, but he belonged to someone else, he belonged to Glory. He and Glory had been so good to her and the kids when she first returned home. They were her best friends. __As a new friend, Josey loved him dearly, almost as much as she had her old friend Glory. How could she not care about him, as she watched Glory slipping away and Kyle's wonderful devotion and absolute patience?_

_He never allowed Glory to see a moment of his frustration or his anger. But Josey had seen, she knew it was there, she caught sight of it once or twice, in unguarded moments when he thought no one would notice. She knew without at doubt that it was tearing his heart to shreds, eating at him from the inside out. _

Of course, they would all be there for him if he needed it, but would he ever ask for help? She wanted think he would, but he and Glory had been something so special. _**How you get over a love like that? **_

Bill had been almost as lost as she was when Glory died. He and Kyle had been close friends for years and yet here they were, neither of them having a clue how to help to Kyle.

Glory had touched so many of their lives, had done so much for the women at the mines. Every woman working at the mine had taken personal time off to attend Glory's funeral. She still found it difficult to believe that she now had Glory's slot as a represenative in the Union, but the women had been unanimous saying that Josey had to do it, if for no other reason than to make sure all Glory's work didn't get undone. Given that kind of logic, she hadn't been able to refuse. Personally she thought Kyle should have it, give him something to occupy his time. And it was Glory's work; it was her legacy to the community.

Josey knew it was too soon, but she knew it she gave it up in favor of Kyle the girls would go along, if for no other reason than they had all loved Glory…

Josey's thoughts were interrupted by more intense, and insistent caresses as Bill stepped up his early morning seduction, pushing her to her back. She met his smile, pulling him down to her, allowing her tongue to tangle tauntingly with his. Bill moved over her, nudging her knees apart, his hand moving downward to tease her there as as well. She made an inviting upward thrust of her hips and he sank his erection deep into her. The movement of his hips set up a driving rhythm and as she met each thrust, the sensations whirled and pooled deep inside her, and together they moved toward climax yet again.


	3. Chapter 3

_**~Chapter **_**T**_**hree~**_

Leah's journey had been pleasantly uneventful. She pulled into the driveway of her childhood home. The house was dark, and no one answered the door. Strange. It was past suppertime, and she didn't know what to think so she went next door. Her mother was usually at home. She hoped they would remember her and tell her what was going on…

Alice opened the front door and stared at the woman standing on her front porch. "Mrs. Aimes, you may not remember me, but," Leah spoke hesitantly, very unsure of herself.

"Of course I remember you, darlin'." Alice Aimes crushed her in a maternal bear hug. "Hank, would you come see who's here? It's Leah Petersen."

There was the scraping of a chair and Hank Aimes appeared from the kitchen into the entryway. "Come on in here girl, where in world you been hiding yourself?"He, too, hugged her briefly; Leah was just a couple of years older than Josie. She and Josie had played together as little girls.

"I just drove all the way in from Denver."

Alice stared, momentarily shocked, "You mean to tell us you drove all that way all by yourself?"

"Yes ma'am. Could you tell me when someone will be home over there?"

Alice cast a glance at Hank, he nodded for her to proceed, then they both looked back at Leah, "Honey, when was the last time you called home?"

A sense of foreboding swept through Leah, "Almost two years, I didn't mean not to call, it just happened and then I met this guy…." She was babbling evasively and she knew it. She caught herself, stopping in the middle of the sentence to ask a question. "Is there something going on I should know about?"

Alice steered her into the living room with Hank behind them and indicated the sofa, Leah sitting without thinking. Alice sat down beside her. "Leah honey, you're mama died almost a year ago, and your Daddy works as the night manager at the mines now. There won't be anyone over there until sometime tomorrow morning."

Leah stared at Alice, and then up at Hank, praying this was some terrible joke. Her mama couldn't be gone. Leah choked out the word, "How?"

Hank knelt in front of her patting her hands gently, "It was quick and painless, she had a stroke while she was sleeping, and she simply didn't wake up. There wasn't anything that anyone could have done to prevent it."

"It was her time, honey," Alice said, "The good Lord called her home."

"No, it can't be true." She whispered her denial, knowing in full well in her heart the Alice and Hank were telling her the truth. They would say this if it wasn't true. She was too stunned to cry. She was still trying to process the information. Her mind was reeling and her heart felt like boulder was sitting on top of it. "No, not mama."

Alice gathered Leah in her arms, holding her, telling her everything would be fine. She clung to Alice, gathering her thoughts as the tears simply wouldn't come. She couldn't accept it. No matter what had happened to her in her life, her mother had been a constant. Always there with a helping hand, a ready shoulder, a heart full of forgiveness, just like Alice.

If only she'd tried harder to mend the quarrel with her father. Without her mother, how was she going bridge the gap with her father. It had been a stupid quarrel to begin with, she wasn't sure now she even remembered what it was about, but stubborn pride on both sides had kept her and her father from getting past it. She wouldn't be surprised if he told her to get the hell out again. She had no place else to go.

Pulling herself from Alice's arms, Leah looked up at Hank Aimes, "What about my brother?"

"Jeff married Greta Wilkins a few weeks before your Mom passed away, he's got a brand new son, about 2 months old I guess, wouldn't you say that's about right Alice? They're living down in Duluth. He's got some kind of fancy advertising job."

More shock, her brother, the fastest zipper in the county had actually settled down with one woman? And he'd developed enough responsibility to become a parent? It was something she would have to eventually see for herself.

_She had a nephew?_ Suddenly the injustice of all her losses overwhelmed her. She'd missed out on so much here and she had nothing to show for it, but medical record full of bruises and cracked ribs. Tears came at last; she'd lost her mother and her baby. The one person she'd hope to confess all to was gone.

Alice pulled her into her arms again, and Leah cried…


	4. Chapter 4

**~Chapter Four~**

Bobby Sharp peeled out of his driveway heading for his job at the mine. He and Lynette had fought again last night. She'd been a royal bitch ever since the harassment thing went to court. And for the second night in a row he'd slept on the couch. That is—the second night—this week.

Inside the house Lynette Sharp still fumed with righteous indignation at the stupid son-of-a-bitch. She'd been livid to find out that every accusation that Josey Aimes had made against her husband was true.

That she had been an accusing fool. Oh god, the hindsight embarrassment. She'd humiliated Josey in public, in front the entire town, with all those children present. Calling her all those names, accusing her of making advances toward her husband when Josey had been trying to escape his attentions at every turn.

She'd only allowed Bobby to touch her twice since the incident in the courtroom, and he'd had to beg her for it both times. She kept telling him he needed to con-serve his strength for his overtime, which was now necessary to make up for the pay loss in the harassment fines he was being forced to repay the company

Every man who had been proved guilty of harassing the women were in the same boat. Pearson's Company wasn't going to take that kind of loss and not get back their losses somewhere so they were taking it out of their checks in weekly installments. Lynette had told hin quite succinctly that if he'd learn to keep his straying dick where it belonged, his hands to himself and his mouth shut they would not be in this mess.

He made a snide remark about a divorce and she replied sweetly, "Do you really want to risk that, given all the ammunition you have given me. I'll take your ass to the cleaners and then some."

She had Bobby by the short hairs so to speak and she was going to make him pay for it. For her humiliation and for Josey's. Somehow she'd managed to swallow her pride and had shown up at the last Union meeting to make a public apology to Josey and the other women at the mine.

When Bobby stood up at the meeting to tell her to sit down and shut up, she informed him front of the entire assembly that if she ever got wind of him harassing another woman anywhere and for any reason, she would personally relieve him of his manhood. After the meeting Bobby had come to her and demanded that she come home with him, she told him that he could "go to hell" for all she cared. She was going out with Josey and the girls for a beer.

**~*~*~*~**


	5. Chapter 5

**I pour two cups of coffee…Put the paper on the table**  
**So we can share the morning news.. **

** Your voice answers our phone when we're not home**  
**Friends who call can leave a message here for you **

**Every night I leave the light on… ****you're just working late  
As far as I can see everything is still the same **

** And my heart will never know… ****So I don't fall apart  
I fool myself for another day… That you're not really gone **

**After all this time, ****it's still too hard to let you go  
As long as I don't say goodbye… My heart will never know **

** It's been a long cold December ****the snow outside keeps fallin',  
I'll light a fire when you get home. **

** It reminds me of the first night… we made love like it would last forever, **

** and what then could go wrong? **

** You're a part of me… ****a part of everything I do  
So I keep holding on… hiding from the truth **

**And my heart will never know… ****So I don't fall apart  
I fool myself for another day… That you're not really gone **

** After all this time, ****it's still too hard to let you go  
As long as I don't say goodbye… My heart will never know **

_**[MY HEART WILL NEVER KNOW**_ -_**- Clay Walker]**_

* * *

**~*~CHAPTER FIVE~*~**

Josey continued to pound on Kyle's door. She wasn't leaving until she saw him, she simply couldn't let him continue like this. Holed up in this house with his memories of Glory.

Her son, Sammy had come home worried sick when he'd stopped by to check on Kyle and he'd gotten no answer, Kyle's truck was parked in the driveway and Sammy said he'd heard a radio or something playing inside.

Sammy really liked Kyle a lot, ever since he'd gotten through to him back during the court case. Kyle had helped make Sammy feel better about himself and her.

She and Sammy had made peace and she'd made her son feel how much she loved him now, and that the means of his conception no longer mattered to her, hadn't mattered since the first moment she'd held him in her arms, hadn't matter since the moment she'd felt his first fluttering movement inside her. Kyle was the one who had gotten Sammy to a point where he'd at least hear her side.

She was about find something and break one of the small panes when the door finally opened. At first it relief to see he was physically okay, but anger rapidly boiled to the surface.

"What the hell are you doing Kyle? Sammy came home worried sick, why didn't you answer the door earlier?"

"Go home Josey, I'm not in the mood for this today."

"And what IS your excuse today Kyle? You can't stay locked up in here like this. Every-one is worried about you. When are you going to put this behind you?"

"What if I don't want to put this behind me Josey? I loved her; she was my life. I don't want to put her behind me. You can't ask me to forget about her, I can't, I won't."

"No one is asking you to forget her, Kyle just make an effort move on. You loved her, or so you say. You have such a fine way of showing it. What happened to that man who stood strong at her side for months? What would she think of you right now? Glory would be disappointed as all hell in you and you know it."

"Go to hell, Josey."

"Fine Kyle, talk to me like that it you want to, but don't you dare let this spill over to Sammy. He thinks the world of you. Don't you dare disillusion my son, he's had enough of that already. Enough to last him a lifetime." She turned away heading for the door.

Kyle's expression shifted, suddenly full of remorse at losing his temper with Josey, regret for making her son worry. Sammy was a good kid who'd had a lot of hard knocks. Glory had meant a lot to the boy and to Josey.

Josey's hand was on the porch doorknob, when Kyle's hand closed over hers, "Josey, wait…I'm sorry, please don't go…"

Josey turned back to face him, just in time to see his eyes misting with tears, swallowing a rising lump in his throat, and it was clear his heart was breaking all over again as he told her.

"Today is Glory's birthday."

Sympathy filled Josey's eyes along a few tears of her own; she closed her hand around his fingers. Damn it, no wonder he was a mess today. But she was calm and reassuring despite her tears.

"You can do this Kyle, Bill and I are here for you, so is Sammy. What do you say? You can sit here like you have been, wallowing in loneliness and self-pity or you can do something about it. What would she want you to do? You knew her better than anyone. How would she celebrate her birthday? What would she want?"

Kyle didn't have to think twice about it. He knew exactly what she'd want.

**~*~*~*~ **


	6. Chapter 6

**~Chapter Six~**

Leah awoke in the unfamiliar bedroom, the sun high in the sky, and it took a few moments to put together where she was. Once she'd fallen to sleep around mid-night the toll of her two day-drive coupled with the shocking news of her mother's passing, she'd been utterly exhausted.

She heard voices downstairs. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost noon. She got up, rummaging through her handbag, finding and then running a brush through her hair. As soon as she deemed herself presentable Leah descended the stairs to the kitchen of the Aimes home, Hank and Alice had been adamant that she not spend what little money she had left on a hotel room when they had an empty bed upstairs.

A blonde woman sat at the table talking with Alice. Leah didn't have to ask, she'd recognize Josey Aimes' shoulders anywhere. She caught the tail end of the conversation.

"…but Mama, he just sits in that house day after day. Even Sammy is worried about him. Karen keeps asking me why "Uncle" Kyle doesn't go to church anymore."

"Who is Kyle?" Leah asked, after clearing her throat.

The answer never came as Josey, squealing with delight as she turned, engulfed Leah in an Aimes bear hug. "I can't believe that you're here. How long has it been six, maybe seven years?"

Leah laughed back, "Closer to seven, I think, you had just married Wayne and the two of you were taking Sammy and moving south. You're mom told me about the divorce. Sorry to hear it didn't work out."

"The son of a bitch beat me." Josey simply ignored her mother's gasp at her use of profanity and continued. "I couldn't stay there and let my kids see that, so I threw some stuff in the back of the truck, shoved the kids in and here we are."

Leah's face fell and Josey was instantly concerned, What had she said? "Leah, you okay?"

"That's why I came home, my boyfriend wasn't any prize either. The last beating put me in the hospital for three days. As soon as I got up the money, I came back home."

She met Josey's gaze and realized she could confide all in Josey and Alice, Hank was gone for a while. She let it all spill out, fresh tears over her losses streaming down her cheeks. Words one wouldn't have even expected Alice Aimes to have ever heard of, slipped from her mouth when Leah got to the part about her miscarriage.

Even gentle Alice was furious enough to perpetrate violence on Jake. She embraced Leah again, her eyes welling up with tears. "You poor thing, and that poor baby!"

Josey was stunned as well, hell—it made Wayne's abuse look like a walk in the park. She was about to ask Leah another question when the phone rang. Alice answered but it was for Josey. It was Kyle.

Leah and Alice made no effort whatsoever to hide the fact they were eavesdropping on the phone call. Josey listened attentively, sticking her tongue out at Leah as she kept her answers to yes and no or minimal word-age so as not let them know what was going on. By the time the call was over Josey couldn't contain her smile.

"Thanks Kyle, you're really doing the right thing. I'll get a hold of the girls. Yeah I'll get a hold of Bill in a bit. Of course we'll both be there."

Leah's curiosity surfaced, demanding, "Okay Josey, who is this Kyle, and who is Bill?"

"Bill White is my boyfriend, he's a lawyer. Kyle Dodge. He was Glory's husband."

"Was?" Leah asked. "What happened, did they split up?"

"Leah, Glory died a few months back. She had ALS, you know, Lou Gehrig's disease."

"Oh my God, but she was so young." Damn it, would the blows never stop coming? She and Glory had been in high school together. Tears were in Leah's eyes again, and she made no effort to fight the sniffles, her eyes were going to stay red-rimmed for ages.

"Yeah, today is her birthday, I was over to Kyle's ear-lier today and he was having a tough time of it."

"He must have really loved her."

"Leah you don't know the half of it. I've never seen a couple like those two; they were something really special together. The way he took care of her, he never asked for help, he did it all, the only assistance he allowed at the end was the home care nurses who checked on her daily."

Josie sighed, then continued, "He was alone with her at home at the end. She died in his arms. Even at the end, they were so in love, there were times in a room full of people you could look at them and know that as far as they were concerned there was no one else in the room. Kyle is amazing, he got through to Sammy when I was suing the mine for sexual harassment."

"That was you? I remember something about some big class action suit, but given what was going on in my life I didn't pay any attention to names or anything. You still working up there?"

"Yes, and I'm still working the job they hired me for and now I'm a Union rep, I took over Glory's place there, but I'm hoping to get Kyle to take it on. He's not getting over Glory's death very well. He needs to get his ass out of that damn house. If not for his back, he could go back to the mine. He hasn't had to work a regular job, he has his disability check because he got hurt on the job. He's just not coping with any of it, and staying inside like that isn't going to help him."

"Okay, that covers Kyle and Glory," Leah swiped her fingers across her wet cheeks, and took a steadying breath, then forced a smile. "Now about this Bill of yours."

Josey literally beamed, and began to gush about Bill, "He was my attorney, and he's an ex-hockey star, he and Kyle have been buddies since they were kids. Had to twist his arm to take my case, but together we beat the system and the mine and now we're together."

"What does Sammy think of him, and how old is that boy now anyway?"

"He's fourteen going on forty, he has quite a mouth on him, but since the court case we have this new understanding. First off though, Sammy thinks the world of Kyle, he got through to Sammy about things he didn't want to hear about from me. And with Bill, well it's like he went from Wayne's glaring indifference to having two good, reputable father figures.

At the very least he has examples of what a real man is. Bill is currently assistant coaching Sammy's hockey team, and well Karen just eats up the attention, Bill and Kyle both treat her like this little princess. That's why Karen worries so much about Kyle. The little thing even worries about Wayne. She keeps asking if her Daddy's sad because he's all alone now."

The last thing the two women wanted was to discuss the male scumbags who beat on them so after a moment or so of awkward silence Leah abruptly changed the subject. "Okay now back to the phone call, what exactly is Kyle up to that put such a smile on your face."

"He and I had it out this morning, and I told how disappointed Glory would be in him and ask him what would she want him to do for her birthday. He just called to tell me what he'd decided…"

"And that would be…?" Leah pressed for more.

"Drinks down at the bar, you know a get together for all her friends, he said the drinks would be on Glory. You were friends with Glory, I know Kyle wouldn't object if you came along."

"I don't know Josey, I still have to face my Dad, and I need to go to the cemetery, it's time I said my goodbye to Mama."

"I understand, you do what you need to today, but the invitation is open."

There was tap at the back door, and a voice called out, "Anybody in there?" It was Bill.

"Come on in, honey," Josey called out, a smile brightening her face, her sparkling eyes resting on Leah's face. "I have someone I'd like you to meet."

Bill stepped into the kitchen, having eyes for only Josey as he reached for her, pulling her close into a deep kiss. It last for several moments, until Alice began to make throat clearing noises. Hesitantly, he released Josey, nodding a greeting at Alice, turning his gaze to Leah, extending his right hand. "Bill White, pleased to make your acquaintance."

Leah clasped his outstretched hand, "Leah Petersen, same here, Josey was just telling me about you."

Bill cast a look of fake worry at his lover, "All good, I hope…"

"I told her you were an attorney."

"Oh god, now you've done it, I sure she thinks I'm a bottom feeder like most lawyers." His arms went back around Josey's waist hugging her from behind.

"Not at all, not with the smile she has on her face while talking about you."

Alice interrupted, "Leah honey, your Daddy just pulled into the drive."

Leah swallowed, time to face the inevitable. "Bill, Nice to meet you, but I have personal business to attend to." She turned and hugged Alice, "Thanks for last night, Mrs. Aimes, if it's no imposition can I just come back and collect my things later?"

"That'll be just fine, sweetie, and if things don't work out over there, you're welcome right here until you can find you a place to live. I'm sure Josey has no objections to you using her room."

Josey reached out to squeeze Leah's hand reassuringly, "And don't forget you're invited tonight."

"I won't make any promises Josey, but I'll try." Leah stepped out into the cool air and headed across the yard.

**~*~*~*~**


	7. Chapter 7

**~Chapter Seven ~**

Vern Petersen let the door close softly behind him. Dropping the filthy clothing into the washing machine and setting it to wash. His mind was full of conflicting emotions ever since Hank Aimes had shown up down the mines, wanting to talk to him at the end of his shift.

Leah was back, Hank had told him. He was trying to deal with it. Leah was his daughter, and he loved her, but there had been so much animosity over the recent years and she stopped calling home. Well, at least he knew she was alive now, and he could put that question to rest.

Still she'd left them all with no way to contact her, and he'd not been able to find her when her mother died. He had no idea where to even try to look. He, Jeff and Greta had made themselves into a peaceful family unit. He had a grandson now. Would Leah's abrupt reappearance cause an uproar in his life. He was just getting past Sara's death.

He wasn't surprised by the knock on the door, he was expecting her. He opened the door still unsure what he'd say or do until he saw her face, her haunted expression, so uncertain of her welcome. Dear Lord she looked so much like Sara had at that age. He knew what Sara would have done and so there wasn't a doubt left in his mind as he reached for her, pulling her into his arms, "You're mama always said you'd come home someday."

Once again Leah found herself in tears, "I'm sorry Daddy, I'm so sorry."

Vern's arms tightened around her, like he'd never let her go, his own tears joining with hers, as he replied, "It's okay, pumpkin, you're home now, you're safe." He held his daughter to his heart, both mentally and physically, the past was just that, the past.

***

Next door, Alice, Josey and Bill were watching from the kitchen window, As the door to the Petersen home closed after Vern had pulled his daughter inside, Alice let go of the breath that she'd been holding, glancing toward the heavens, "Thank you Lord."

Josey turned to Bill, "Now one crisis under control, on to the next one."

"Uh oh." Bill's tone was ominous, "Another crisis?"

"Yep," Josey gave a flirtatious smile, and tickled her fingers across his T-shirt beneath his jacket. As bold as she dared in her mother's presence. "Kyle."

Bill's face clouded with worry. Kyle's retreat from social activities had been bothering him for weeks. He sighed, waiting for the other shoe to drop. "What now, sweetheart?"

Alice smiled inwardly, hoping against hope that her daughter held on tight to this one. Bill White was a keeper, and Hank thought the world of him, especially after all he'd done for Josey and the other ladies at the mine.

"It's not bad this time.I went by and gave Kyle hell for living like he has been. Asked what Glory would think of the way he was living. At first he told me to go to hell."

Bill bristled, "I'll go beat his fuckin' ass." Alice gasped, and he apologized without a skipping a beat "Sorry Alice."

"No honey, it's okay." Josey put her hand against Bill's chest. "He already apologized for losing his temper. Today is Glory's birthday."

"The poor, dear man," Alice whispered behind her. She liked Kyle Dodge a lot, he and Glory had been such good friends to her daughter and grandchildren.

"And" Bill asked raising his brows, his curiosity blatant , "Then what has put such a smile on your face. He's turning himself into a housebound hermit. Last time I was over there he wouldn't even watch the hockey game. The only people he ever smiles at or laughs with at all are Sammy and Karen."

"He called to tell me he's having a gathering at the bar in honor of Glory's birthdays, drink all around for everyone, said it's the way she would want it. "

"I'm for anything that gets him out that house. How did you get through to him?"

"I hit it where it hurts, I attacked his pride, and told him Glory would be disappointed in him for living like he is, and told him not to disappoint Sammy. I'll have to call down to the mine, see if I can persuade Arlen to get a message to Betty or Sherry, so they can spread the word."

"Sounds good to me." He shifted the subject again, "What about your friend next door? She going to be all right?"

Alice told him what she knew of Leah's estrangement from her family and together she and Josey filled him in on what Leah had told them about Jake and when they reached the part about her miscarriage, Bill's clenched fists were white knuckled.

He'd not been this angry since Bobby Sharp's lies on the stand at the harassment trial. "Let's just hope this is the end of it."

Alice looked up to meet his gaze, "What do you mean?"

Josey having been in similar shoes as Leah, and she knew very well where he was going with this. "Means this Jake may not take her leaving so well. He might come after her."

"But aren't there laws." Alice had lived with blinders for years, but the stuff at the mines had forced her and Hank to start looking beyond the borders of their black and white little world and see the bad things going on around them. "Can't she get one of them.. uhm, what are they called, one of those "protection orders?"

Bill's expression was one of resigned sadness. "If this Jake person wants to get at her, it won't stop him. Until he violates a restraining order it's just like the new harassment policies up at the mines, just words on paper until they are violated, and like a penalty box in hockey they have to face the penalties, serve the time.

"Things at the mines are better because of the penalties for violating the new rules. Some people obey them because they are simply the rules. Others toe the line because the company will hit them where it hurts, their pocketbook. There will still be incidents at the mine, but on the whole the conditions are already much improved. But doesn't change who most of those men are, firm believers that they have the right to run roughshod over women, that women are second class. However, unlike the mines, in cases of domestic abuse, the penalties often come far too late to do any good. The damage can be severe or even fatal."

"You think he'd come here all the way from Denver?" Alice was more incredulous by the moment.

Josey put in her two cents to help her mother grasp what Bill was saying. "Wayne came after me. Expected me jump right back in the truck and come home with him just because he said so."

Alice looked in Josey's eyes, remembering the bruises on her daughter's face when she returned home, and she couldn't believe now that she and Hank had actually encouraged their daughter to return home with a man who abused her. Alice's gaze strayed back to the window to the Petersen household. "Heavens help that poor girl. Let's hope it's something she and Vern never have to face."


End file.
